Paper-seasoning machine.



` L.-T RAU1NG,IIR., C. F. TRAUNGV IL A. f1. BRENGEL.

` PAPER sEAsoNING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.29, 1915.

L.`TRAUNG,v JR., C. F. TRAUNG L A. j. BRENGEL.

PAPER sEAsoNING MACHINE.

A l i APPLICATION FILED DEC. 29, 1915. 1534,42., I Patented July 24, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NTFU @TAF@ PATENT FFlQFg.

LOUIS TRAUNG, JR., CHARLES F. TRAUNG, AND ADAM J. BRENGEL, or SAN FRANCISCO,

CALIFORNIA.

PAPER-SEASONING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented July 24h will?.

Application filed December 29, 1915. Serial No. 69,286.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, ALouis TRAUNG, J r., CHARLES F. TRAUNG, and ADAM J. BREN- GnL,.citizens of the United States, and residents of the city and county of San Fran- .cisco and Stateof California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Paper- Seasoning Machines,` of which the following is a specication.

Our invention relates to devices for seasoning green or damp paper previous to its use for printing, lithographing and similar uses wherein a series of fans or blowers operate in conjunction with means whereby the streams of air are partially diffused, and the objects of our invention are- First, to provide yasimple and cheaply constructed means whereby a comparatively large stream of air may be projected vertically.`

Second, to provide a portable device adapted to project a vertical stream of air comparatively large in sectional area.

Third, to provide a portable device adapted to diffuse streams of air from parallel banks of blowers into one vertically projected stream of substantially uniform velocity.

Fourth, to provide a device of the character described having parallel banks or rows of blowers operatively connected to and driven from a suitable motor in such a manner that either one or both of said banks or rows may be operated.

' Fifth, to provide improved means whereby a series of comparatively small vertically disposedstreams of air may be diffused into one comparatively large stream of uniform velocity.

Ve accomplish these several objects by means of the device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present specifij cation, wherein like characters of reference are usedto designate similar parts throughout `the said speciiication and drawings, and

in which- Figure l is a plan view of the device with a portion of the diffusing screen broken away in order to more clearly disclose the mechanism below.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device below a quantity of paper as hung for scasonmg, and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line X--X of Fig. 2 in the direction indicated by the arrow.V

ln order to obtain the best results, paper used in photolithographing and printing and for similar purposes must be first thoroughly driedor seasoned. This is generally accomplished by hanging the paper in groups or bunches in a drying or seasoning room. As a great many sheets of paper are used daily and as considerable time is required to hang and to thoroughly dry or sea son the paper, it is evident that a great deal of time will be consumed in hanging each sheet separately as agreat number of sheets must be kept constantly on hand in order to provide sufficient dried or seasoned sheets for constant use.

In seasoning, the paper is hung in devices especially designed for the purpose whereby groups or bunches consisting of two or three dozen sheets of paper are suspended vertically. As only the outer sheets in each bunch or group is exposed to the atmosphere of the drying or seasoning room it is evident that were means provided whereby e-ach sheet is not only separated from the adjacent sheets but is subjected or exposed to a current of air the seasoning of the paper would be accomplished in less time and would be more thorough and uniform. Also less stock and drying space would be required to insure a suiiicient daily supply of seasoned paper.

To separate and season a considerable number of sheets of paper simultaneously would require ordinarily a vertically projected stream of air of considerable proportions which would in turn require a blower or seasoning device of large dimensions incapable of being easily transported and also a powerful and expensive motor to drive the same.

We propose to provide a simple, cheap and effective portable device which is adapted to project a large evenly diffused vertical stream of air whereby a quantity of vertically suspended sheets of paper may be separated and uniformly seasoned and which may be described as follows:

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate a portable rectangular frame mounted upon suitable castors 2 and having longitudinally disposed parallel beams 3 secured thereon. A series of fans 4 are secured to suitable vertically disposed and equally spaced shafts 6 rotatably mounted upon the beams 3.

Also rotatably mounted within suitable bearings 7 upon the beams 3 are longitudinally and horizontally disposed drive shafts 8 and 9. Each drive shaft 8 and 9 is arranged adjacent each row or bank of the vertically disposed shafts 6 and the fans 4 thereon. The fans are driven by means of suitably arranged belts 10 which engage sheaves 11 and 12 on the horizontally disposed shafts 8 and 9 and on the vertically disposed shafts 6 respectively.

The horizontally disposed shaft 8 is preferably directly connected to a suitable motor 14 and is also provided with a clutch 16 which is arranged to engage a loose pulley 17 mounted upon the shaft 8. The shaft 9 has a fixed pulley 18 which is driven from a belt 19 which also engages the loose pulley 17. The purpose of this arrangement is that one or both shafts and rows or banks of fans may be operated.

Supported above the fans 4 by means of a suitable supporting railing 21 is a horizontally disposed screen 22 as disclosed in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. The mesh of this screen has been considerably enlarged in the drawings in order to prevent the mechanism below it from being obscured.

A suitable electrical controller or rheostat 24 is secured to one end of the portable frame 1 and has proper connections not shown, to the motor from a suitable source of electrical energy.

The operation is as follows:

Usually as hereinbefore described, the paper to be seasoned is vertically suspended in groups comprising from two to three dozen sheets. The portable frame 1 is rolled undera number of suspended sheets as disclosed in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

As the motor 14 rapidly rotates the fans 4-by means of the connecting shafts 8, 9 and 6 and the several belts and pulleys hereinbefore described, the air is driven upward through the screen 22 and between the vertically suspended sheets 26 thereby separating said sheets and exposing the same to the streams of air. But it is evident that as a number of fans or blowers are employed the streams of air directly above the fans will have a greater velocity thanV in the space between the fans and therefore some sheets will be seasoned more thoroughly and quickly than others. Y

This disadvantage is eliminated by the screen 22 which is interposed between the paper sheets and the fans 4.

As the air is forced upwardly through the screen 22 said screen has a tendency, it has been found from actual experience, to diffuse those portions of the streams of air having a higher velocity to the spaces between the fans where the velocity is not so great thereby providing what may be termed a single stream of air of comparatively large area and having a substantially uniform K velocity throughout. O r it maybe stated that a number of small separate streams of air of, high velocity are diffused into one large stream of air of uniform velocity.l

The portable frame of course, is not nearly as large as the area covered by the suspended sheets 26, but it is evident that after one portion of the suspended sheets has been thoroughly seasoned that the device may be easily moved to another portion of the row of sheets. Y

It is obvious from the foregoing that We have provided portable means whereby a single comparatively large stream of uni form velocity may be directed onto and between sheets of vertically suspended paper whereby the same may be quickly and uniformly seasoned. l

Having thus described our inventionwhat we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A seasoning device comprising a portable frame; a series of vertically disposed shafts. rotatably mounted upon the frame; a fan or blower secured to each vertically disposed shaft; parallel horizontally disposed shafts rotatably mounted upon .the frame and operatively connected to the vertically disposed shafts; a suitable motor operatively connected toV andadapted to drive` the horizontal and vertical shafts and thereby cause the blowers to deliver several vertical streams of air; and a suitable screen arranged above the blowers and adapted to diffuse the several streams of air into one comparatively large stream of a uniform velocity.

2. A seasoning device comprising a portable frame; a series ofV vertically disposed shafts rotatably mounted upon the frame;

a fan or blower secured to each vertically disposed shaft; parallel horizontally disposed shafts rotatably mounted upon the iframe and operatively connected to the vertically disposed shafts; a suitable motor operativel;7 connected to and adapted to drive the horizontal and vertical shafts and there- 5 by cause the blowers to deliver saveral vertieal streams of air; a suitable screen arranged above the blowers and adapted to diffuse the several streams of air into one Comparatively large stream of a uniform velocity; 10 and a suitable supporting railing' secured to the portable 'frame and adapt-ed to support the screen above the blowers.

San Francisco, California, December 24th, 1915.

In Witness whereof We have hereunto set 15 our signatures.

LOUIS TRAUNG, JR. CHARLES F. TRAUNG. ADAM J. BRENGEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

